Dramas That Inspire Vitality
(Continuing Arolemodel.com’s article on movies that develop your vitality and make you feel young and alive)
Cool Hand Luke; One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest And More
[/wpcol_1half_end] Continuing our series on movies that develop your vitality, leaving you feeling more alive, energised and “in the moment” we come to some great drama films.
The number one way in which drama movies inspire vitality is when they show a character who, despite being in a clearly limited situation (be it in jail, in a dead-end boring job, in a mental home etc.) brings to life their environment, energising those around them and making more of ever moment of their lives.
To start the ball rolling, let’s take a look at one of Arolemodel.com’s favourite acting performances of all time.
Cool Hand Luke (Paul Newman)
In Cool hand Luke, Paul Newman plays Luke, a guy who has been sentenced to two years of jail time after defying authority and chopping the tops off of a bunch of parking meters.
Where most people would completely lose themselves to the depression, boredom and all-around lack of life inside a prison, Luke actually brings the place to life, gaining the respect and friendship of his fellow in-mates thanks to his vitality (which is shown when he brags and then proves that he can eat 50 eggs), his guts (which sees him standing up to Dragline, a guy clearly much stronger than he is), and his charisma (which is evident every step of the way). Arolemodel.com recommends you watch Cool Hand Luke and pay particular attention to how the worlds around Luke is brought to life by the strength of his character, and particularly his vitality.
One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest (Jack Nicholson)
A movie that sits very highly on a lot of top 100 lists, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest sees Jack Nicholson in possibly his best role ever as Randle Patrick Murphy (though obviously that’s a close call given how awesome Jack Nicholson is). What makes this movie so scintillating is the way in which it captures exactly how we all feel—like we’re the only sane one’s in a world full of loons. Jack Nicholson’s Randle Patrick Murphy is so energised and over the top that he becomes the child for anyone who wants to scream at the top of their lungs “What’s going on.” He inspires the viewer to challenge the rules, to question the limitations, to come to life with fire in the belly. Watch this movie and feel the spark in you that it produces. Then as per usual, discuss the vitality of Randle with others and notice how just talking about this movie with those who know it will create an air of inspiration and energy in the room.
Pirates of the Caribbean (Johnny Depp)
Okay so technically Pirates of the Carribean is not a drama, is an action/comedy, but we include it in this list because the way in which it inspires vitality is the exact same way that One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Cool Hand Luke and other dramas inspire vitality, and that is by having a truly great character playing a character who is larger than their fictional worlds. That actor, of course, is Johnny Depp.
Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow inspires vitality in the viewer simply because it is such a joyful portrayal. Depp simply sparkles (though not in a Twilight way) in this movie. He is so engaged with his environment, so energised and lively, playing like the most energetic kid with the other, humdrum characters in Pirates of the Caribean. He is a big kid in a world of toys and he makes the viewer feel that they can be that way too. Even though I’m not an overly huge fan of Pirates of the Caribean, Johny Depp makes the four films worth watching and that is almost entirely because of his vitality.
Other notable dramas to watch for vitality
The World’s Fastest Indian
Finding Neverland
Oliver Twist
Fatal Attraction
Girl Interrupted